


Night Shifts

by shestans



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/F, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 09:16:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20240443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shestans/pseuds/shestans
Summary: "Poof yourself in or ask for a key.” Regina says with a raised eyebrow. “Please refrain from waking me from my sleep unless it’s an emergency.”





	Night Shifts

Emma had a rough night to put it nicely. All of the children at Storybrooke Daycare had been getting sick recently so Mary Margaret and David asked Emma to watch baby Neal for the day.

They had just finished family dinner at Regina’s house. “You don’t mind, do you?” asks Mary Margaret.

It took Emma a second to realize her mother was talking to her. She was too busy admiring Regina’s ass in those jeans as she walked to her study room to get that cider she promised. _Damn_. “Hm.” Emma says.

Mary Margaret wasn’t sure if Emma had agreed or if she hadn’t heard her. “Would you like for me to drop him off in the morning or will you come get him?” Before Emma has a chance to respond her mother continues. “I can drop him off here, if you’re staying with Regina and Henry tonight that is, but my students are working on a new project tomorrow and I need to be there early to get the supplies and set everything up and David goes to work as soon as you get off so-”

Emma tunes out Mary Margaret and tries not to roll her eyes. As Mary Margaret continues to ramble, Regina walks back into the dining room and hands Emma another glass of cider before kissing her cheek and sitting down next to her. It’s very clear to Emma that Regina is trying to hold back laughter, her amused smirk on full display. Emma groans and Regina squeezes her hand under the table.

“Snow.” Regina says cutting off her continued rambling. “Why don’t you leave Neal here for the night. Emma has to go back to work soon and I can watch him until morning. Emma can watch him while we are all at work tomorrow.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Mary Margaret says with a smile.

They’re waiting for Emma to respond. Regina gives her hand another squeeze to get her attention.

“Yea, sure, that works. Tomorrow is the last of my night shifts anyway.”

“Also, I was thinking-”

“Sorry mom, I really need to get back to work.” Emma says standing up. “My break was over 30 minutes ago. Wouldn’t wanna piss off the mayor.” The light teasing tone earns a soft smile and nod of understanding from Mary Margaret and an eye roll from Regina, who is indeed the Mayor.

“I’ll walk you out.” Regina says following her a short distance to the door. They step outside and Regina closes the door behind them. She watches Emma pace and murmur to herself for a moment before stopping her. “Emma, what’s wrong, dear?”

Emma let out something between a groan and a whine. “I don’t want to.” She says softly. Regina has to strain to hear her.

“And why is that?”

“Because I’ll be tired.” Regina raises her eyebrows but chooses not to comment. She recalls a time, a few weeks ago actually, when Emma forced her to have a Harry Potter marathon, a full 18 hours, and was still able to go on her morning run and clock into work on time the following morning.

Emma huffs. “The last time I was around him for a long period of time was when I destroyed the diner.”

“Ahh.” Regina says. Of course that’s why. Emma was still learning how to control her powers at the time and lost control inside of Granny’s Diner, nearly destroying the entire place.

Snow flinches as soon as the words “first time mom” leaves her mouth. “Emma, that’s not what I meant.” She says chasing after Emma who all but ran out of Granny’s Diner.

Emma was still shaking and so was the Diner. “No, I get it. This is all new for you. You didn’t get the chance to raise me as your own and now you have a son to love and spoil and give everything to that I never had. Everything that I missed out on, that you and David missed out on. A family.. A home.”

“Emma, you are my daughter and I love you.”

“I know you do. I- it’s not.. I just-” Emma can feel her throat closing up and her vision starts to blur, her green eyes quickly filling with liquid. It doesn’t help that the lunch rush had followed them outside to get out of the Diner with broken glass and debris, so now there was an audience. Emma feels a hand slip into hers and she knows it’s Regina. She must have summoned her again by accident. The Diner immediately stops shaking but Emma doesn’t.

Mary Margaret goes to say something again but receives one of Regina’s famous death glares that snaps her mouth shut. Regina poofs Emma and herself away. Emma and Mary Margaret don’t see each other for a few days.

Regina is brought out of her thoughts and back to the current when she feels Emma’s strong arms wrap around her waist and pull her into a hug; the shorter woman having the height advantage as Emma was one step below her. Emma rests her head on Regina’s shoulder and they stand there for a moment both enjoying having the other in their arms.

“If I could take tomorrow off I would but-”

“But it’s election season.” Emma says cutting her off and finishing her sentence. “I know.” Emma sighs again and squeezes Regina’s waist tighter as Regina’s fingers lightly comb through her hair.

Emma kisses her neck softly and takes a step back, removing her hands from the brunette’s waist, sliding them down to Regina’s, and intertwining their fingers.

Emma bites her lip, her face heating up before she asks the question on her mind. “Can I come back here after work?” She hopes her blush isn’t noticeable but judging by the look on Regina’s face it definitely is.

There’s a sparkle in Regina’s eye as she responds. “Emma, you’ve slept over every night for over a month now.” She teases.

The blonde shifts on her feet. “I know.” She says dragging it out. “But still… can I?”

“Of course.” Regina grabs Emma’s chin and tilts her head up to peck her lips. Emma grins and Regina grins right back.

Just then MaryMargaret exits her home shouting to David that it’s only a game as he walks closely behind her with a pout very similar to Emma’s own. “Thank you again for dinner, Regina. And for watching Neal.”

“You’re very welcome. Have a nice night.”

“You too!”

During her very short moment with Snow White Regina doesn’t miss Emma and David playfully shoving each other, trying to make the other fall off of the stairs. To be fair David did start it. Regina also doesn’t miss the way Emma and Mary Margaret don’t exchange words.

Emma and Regina wave politely as the couple gets in their car and drives away.

“I should get back to work.” Emma says.

Regina hums in acknowledgment. “Be safe, please.”

“Always, babe.” Emma kisses her lips and winks at her.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma walked back into the sheriff's station after a long night of work, huffing as she slammed the door behind her. In the last 5 hours she’d fallen out of a tree, fallen off of the pier and into the water, and had been stung by a bee.

She could feel her body vibrating with frustration as magic starts to form in her hands. She closes her eyes and clenches her fists as she takes a deep breath, calming herself. “Okay.” She stretches her arms above her head and lets them flop down to her side before twisting side to side hearing her bones pop.

Her boots squeak as she walks over to her desk, her shoes leaving a trail of water behind her. She glances at the clock on the wall, “4:19... less than an hour. I can do this.” She says to herself. As soon as she flops down into her desk chair, the chair falls apart sending Emma straight to the concrete floor. She hisses as her tailbone hits the wheels. That’s the final straw.

Her eyes well up with tears and she groans. She’s found herself on the brink of crying very often now and it annoys her to no end.

She poofs herself to Regina’s front door and contemplates knocking. She recalls the first time she woke Regina around 4 in the morning, not wanting to go home after work.

Regina swung the door open, hair messy from sleep, and annoyance clear on her face. “Miss Swan, have you lost your mind?”

“Well, I- I just wanted to-” Emma stutters.

Regina cuts her off with an annoyed scoff and an eye roll. “Do you plan on coming in anytime soon? Unlike you I need more than a midday nap to function.”

“I didn’t want to go home and I know I’ve been sleeping here for a while but I have night shifts this week and I didn’t- I wasn’t sure if-”

Regina grabs Emma’s hand, pulling her into her home, closing the door gently hoping not to wake Henry. “You’re always welcome here, Emma, you know that. Poof yourself in or ask for a key.” Regina says with a raised eyebrow. “Please refrain from waking me from my sleep unless it’s an emergency.”

Emma smirks, raking her eyes over Regina’s body, lingering at the swell of her breasts and the small amount of skin being shown between the brunette’s top and pajama pants. “Being horny is not an emergency, Miss Swan.”

“Of course not.”

“Now if you’ll excuse me, some of us have to work in the morning.” Regina turns to make her way up the stairs but squeals as she’s suddenly lifted from the ground. “Emma!”

“Oh, I’m Emma now? I thought I was ‘Miss Swan’.” She says mocking her.

“Shut up.”

Regina doesn’t get anymore sleep that night.

Emma smiles widely at the memory. Contrary to popular belief the mayor of Storybrooke is _definitely_ not a morning person.

The blonde is covered in a cloud of purple smoke and is not surprised when the smoke clears and she’s standing in Regina’s bedroom.

“You’re back early.” Regina says sitting up in bed.

“Yeah, well.” Emma starts. She takes off her jacket and lets it slide to the ground, Regina immediately magicing it away and into the closet she assumes.

Regina removes herself from the comfort of her bed, flipping on the lamp on her nightstand. “Jesus, Emma, what happened?” She gently grabs Emma’s arm, a large bruise forming already covering most of her upper arm. “Did you get beat up again?”

“Ginaaa.” Emma says dragging out her name. She sits on the edge of the bed and blushes at the memory, running her hand over the nape of her neck. “Zelena was better at magic than me, okay? It wasn’t a fair fight. And technically it wasn’t her! How was I supposed to know one of her flying monkeys would drop me from that high up.”

Regina shakes her head but can’t help the smile that forms on her face. Emma was an idiot. Her idiot. She kisses Emma’s cheek and the taller woman pulls Regina down into her lap.

Regina’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re wet.” She says matter of factly.

“Maybe. I’m tired and a little banged up but as long as you’re doing all the work…” Emma trails off.

Regina rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh right. I may have fallen off of the pier.”

“And how’d you get the bruise?”

“I fell out of a tree.”

“Sounds like you had quite the night to me, dear.”

“Oh, that’s an understatement and there’s more.” Emma quickly pecks Regina’s lips once, twice, before continuing. “And I promise to tell you all about it when I’m not about to pass out from exhaustion.” She thinks about lying down and is immediately met with one of Regina’s glares, although it lacked her usual sting, as though the older woman could read her mind.

“I’m so tired.” Emma says dramatically.

“Yes, well.” Regina removes herself from Emma’s lap. “The bed will still be here after you take a shower.” She holds out both of her hands and Emma takes them, groaning as Regina pulls her up from the bed. Regina slaps Emma’s ass as she drags herself to the restroom. Regina smiles to herself and shakes her head at the exasperated sigh the blonde lets out.

When Emma gets out of the shower she’s shocked to find Regina’s side of the bed empty. “Gina!” She shouts.

“Living room!”

Emma magics herself to the living room and rolls her eyes as she ends up in the hallway closet. She opens the closet door and is immediately met with Regina’s smile and an arched eyebrow from where she was sitting on the couch. “Coming out of the closet again, are we?”

Emma rolls her eyes. “What are you doing up so late Madam Mayor?” Emma says walking towards her and settling herself in next to Regina. Emma kisses Regina’s forehead, her nose, her cheeks, first the left, then right, and then her lips, moaning as Regina deepens the kiss before pulling away.

She follows Regina’s gaze down to her arm and doesn’t question it when it’s glowing a light shade of purple. She watches as her bruise disappears as does the pain it was causing her. She sighs in relief.

“Emma, what-”, “Can I-” They start at the same time. Emma rubs the nape of her neck, a nervous habit. “You go first.” She says.

Regina nods and turns her body towards Emma, taking a deep breath big enough for the blonde to see without focusing her eyes. “What are we?” She asks gingerly, the vulnerability clear on her face. “You’re here during the day, you sleep here at night, you bring me lunch everyday, we have sex, and I, I hate it a lot less than I imagine I would have a few years ago.” She says with a slight chuckle. “Actually, it’s the best part of my day.” Her smile is gone and she’s staring into Emma’s eyes. “You’re the best part of my day.”

“Regina, I don’t even know where to start or how to explain the feelings I have for you. I’ve loved you since, since the first day, well night, I met you.” Emma’s eyes are glazed over as she’s confessing her love for the beautiful brunette sitting next to her. She doesn’t miss the small gasp Regina lets out at the first mention of the word “love.” “I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” She kisses Regina’s hand that was now rested on her cheek, her thumb wiping away some of the tears that were spilling from her eyes. “And Henry of course.” She says causing both of them to chuckle.

“Of course.” Regina agrees.

“I love you, Regina Mills.”

“I love you, Emma Swan.”

“Good.” Emma says. She has this grin on her face and Regina knows she wants to see it everyday for the rest of her life.

“I believe you had something you wanted to ask me.”

“Oh, right! Can I have a key?” Although the question hadn’t surprised her, the timing of it did. Regina wasn’t sure if she heard Emma correctly or if she was just hallucinating, her heart still beating fast at both of their declarations of love. “Pardon?”

“You said, and I quote, ‘Poof yourself in or ask for a key.’ And as you can tell I’m still working on the poofing stuff so.. I’m asking for a key.”

Regina can’t help but smile at the blonde. “Yes, you can have a key.”

Emma attacks Regina with kisses and Regina’s smile widens impossibly bigger as the blonde places them all over her face saying “I love you.” after each one. “I love you. I love you. I love you.” Regina laughs and smiles so much that her cheeks ache and her sides sting.

“As much as I am enjoying this, you have to babysit in a few hours and I have an election to prepare for.” She stands and holds out a hand for Emma to take, which she does.

“Don’t remind me.” Emma mumbles as she stands.

“Come along, dear.”

They make their way to the staircase and this time Regina doesn’t squeal when she’s lifted off the ground by Emma. Instead she wraps her arms around Emma’s neck and kisses her lips. “I love you.”

Neither of them get any sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still fairly new at this and I'd love to hear constructive criticism if there is any. I hope you enjoyed it!


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